The Devolution of the Learner: A Question of Teacher Training

Abstract

Currently, between supply and demand, an impressive number of systems have been put in place in order to meet the needs of professional stakeholders. In this context, priority is given to transversal skills at the expense of specialization, for the simple reason that situations are characterized by novelty, and cases where learned patterns and models are reproduced are rare.

The redefinition of learning has led to the establishment of a system that enables learners to re-use their skills in a wide variety of situations. This system would be even more effective if it also ensured a connection between in-school and out-of-school learning contexts.

Didactic studies have shown that the principle of re-use, or the transfer of acquired knowledge from one context to another, is a reliable path to successful learning. Indeed, if theorists state that the learner’s devolution remains the cornerstone upon which any teaching-learning process should be based, what then is its role in teacher training?